Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica
Epitomizing the very best of fine living, this sumptuous resort appeals for its exclusive and fabulous location and an Arnold Palmer championship golf course that is the finest in Costa Rica.
The jewel in the crown of the controversial and still–in–the–works Peninsula Papagayo development, the Four Seasons set an entirely new standard for resort hotels in Costa Rica when it opened in 2004. It's location is unparalleled. Commanding a undulating and woodsy peninsula that enfolds the huge flask–shaped Bahía Culebra, the resort stretches over seven kilometers, with the bay on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other. The entrance gate is cleverly positioned where the bay first comes into view, laid out like a Hollywood stage set, with a dramatic copse of royal palms and a water channel featuring a beautiful triptych sculpture by renowned Costa Rican sculptor Jorge Jiménez Deredia.
 The seven–kilometer driveway snakes along the undulating peninsula, slithering past forest–framed fairways with to–die–for views. Dropping down through screens of bamboo, guests arrive at the hotel's curvilinear entrance, where with some imagination you can detect in the plate–form roofline the architect's apparent inspiration: armadillos and butterflies. Riverstone pillars, a bamboo ceiling, and earth tone decor mark the airy lobby––open to fore and rear––centered on a simple fountain. To the rear, the atrium lobby opens below to the lobby bar, accessed by a travertine staircase. Soaring fold–back doors open onto two of the hotel's three angular pools, including a main pool and sundeck with a bookcase––a nice touch––and a separate family pool for the kiddies. The hotel proper occupies an isthmus barely 80 meters wide: to one side a gray–sand beach runs along the bayshore; on the other, a glorious crescent of palm–shaded white sand shelves into the teal–blue Pacific.
Sushi is served nightly in the casual Papagayo Restaurant, lit at night by exotic roof lamps resembling octopuses and starfish. The elegant DiMari Italian restaurant and a separate steakhouse offer fancier options.
The full–service spa is a gracious contemporary enclave of peace and renewal featuring gorgeous use of frosted glass and a tiger–striped tropical hardwood, with open–air whirlpools overlooking the beach. The fitness center is one of the best in the country. Children are catered to with a fully–equipped kid's camp with a jungle  playground. The golf course here has no rival in the region and is a big draw for its dramatic scenery and challenging terrain.
Accommodations don a quasi–Asian motif, owing more to China than Latin America, with clean lines and plenty of red. Rattan sofas with red cushioned seats join wooden headboards, bamboo–framed floral prints, striped area rugs on glossy hardwood floors, and huge travertine patios with metal rails. Sumptuous silk spreads and fabrics in golds and blood–reds add to the luxurious feel. Humongous marble bathrooms contain
high–end toiletries, thick terry–cloth robes, and pull–back screens for ocean vistas. All add up to some of the most delightfully deluxe digs in Central America. All come with CD and DVD players, divinely comfortable mattresses, and down–filled duvets and pillows.
Suites here go from large to "house–sized," the biggest having several separate bedrooms and their own plunge pool. These also look more like a typical Four Seasons, with more cream colors and fewer fiery accents.
Standard room rates here start at where most other hotels in Costa Rica top off for a suite, but for those who like to combine golf and stunning vistas with world–class amenities and pampering, it's hard to go wrong at Four Seasons Costa Rica.
Web Address: www.fourseasons.com/costarica
Total Number of Rooms: 178
Published rates: $470 to $8,000
Review and photos by Christopher Baker
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